As gentle tones of green quietly escape their cage of snow, I can’t help but appreciate the subtle hush of spring. With the declared change of season, I often find myself looking for new ways to remain grounded and present. Although I’ve mastered the art of strolling through the park, I still choose to celebrate all that a peaceful walk can offer. Over the past few days, my transition from winter boots to sneakers has been triumphant. Taking a walk and breathing in the fresh air no longer feels like a burden. Yet, within this premature proof of spring, I’ve recently found solace in newly added elements to my jaunts around the block. I have grown to treasure the blend of music and park benches, as I believe that together, they provide the perfect recipe for being present. The way notes float through my mind as my feet remain planted and back at rest, observing all the nature, human beings, or buildings that surround me. Amidst the busy student routine and constant flow of tidings, it brings a sense of peace to the troubled mind. To me, the marriage of music and park benches is significant in fostering mindfulness in your life. Allow me to convince you why…
Music has an interesting way of grounding its listeners. Providing a melodic escape from the shackles of time, it serves as a highway to the present moment. No matter your preferred genre, music acts as a vehicle for mindfulness. Whenever stressed or anxious, music allows me to flee from my precarious thoughts and enter a world full of harmony. I find that music dissipates my troubles, chasing out the rush of negative worries that flood my mind. Also, when I have any sort of anxiety that manifests physically, music can redirect my attention to the compositions, and away from any concerns. Through a symphony of sound, listening to music has always been my gold standard for anchoring my thoughts to more positive waters and to the present moment – a paradise in which worries dissolve and a more peaceful reality sets in.
In my opinion, park benches are a comparable parallel to the magic of music. While music has a way of emotionally and sonically grounding its listeners, park benches do so physically. Both similarly serve as anchors to the present moment. This is partly why when used in combination, the effects are so powerful. Park benches allow you to remain physically still, holding your body in such a way that permits thoughtful observation – if you choose to allow it. Most often, I experience a potent rush of mindfulness and gratitude when truly embracing the solitude that a park bench and music both offer me. Remaining focused on my surroundings while appreciating the sounds that dance across my mind has become a form of art. It is both a mindful, disciplined practice and a pleasant pastime. By sensibly observing the bird that sits on the branch above, to the chain of cars that rush by, with focus one can be led to this more peaceful reality. To me, this form of meditation in combination with music truly serves as the secret to remaining in the present. It’s often just what the doctor ordered.
Truthfully, the inspiration for implementing this cocktail of consciousness was not just the changing of seasons. Yet, it was rather a specific moment, unfolding on an overcast, chilly day in New York City. I was sitting in Central Park, on – you guessed it – a cold, damp park bench. The glorious smell of freshly baked chestnuts grazed my nose. The sonorous sound of the saxophone, played by the weathered hands of a passionate musician, filled my ears. I wondered how long he’d known the seat of that bench for. A man, tall and large in frame but slow in pace, walked past me, along with three dogs. All unique in nature, color, and size, the only similarity being that their tongues were out, their mouths begging for water. There it was again, that sonorous sound. It filled every crevice of my mind. Like all that the sun touches, his song was warm. Notes of gold floated across the air, smooth like a glass of red wine yet crisp like a running river at the start of spring. It lit up every solemn street and every weathered leaf. The musician continued to play and revealed his golden light until the trees bloomed again…
The next time you’re parading through a park and you see a quiet tone of green, I hope that it’s under a park bench. I encourage you to take a seat, take a deep breath, and press play, on life. Take the time to treasure the moment, to listen, and to fall in love with the tree in front of you…You never know what it may inspire.